The Dark Hour Has Come to the West: The Rising Popularity of Persona Stateside

Matt Randisi writes, “Persona, Atlus’ occult high school-sim series was an instant hit in Japan; it takes place after all in the land of the Rising Sun and highlights much of the nation’s culture right alongside an entertaining supernatural element. While many Shin Megami Tensei games are indeed localized, titles like Digital Devil Saga and Devil Summoner do not enjoy a huge fan base like the one right across the ocean. Recently however, popularity has been on the rise, a fact that is in no small part due to Persona 4, in particular its upcoming re-release on the Vita, it’s Arc System fighting game spin-off, and its smash-hit animation series. The Western audience is finally ‘getting it’ and is realizing what Persona brings to the RPG table: a thoughtful, rewarding experience that caters to just about every fan of the genre. But for those reluctant to dive into the deep waters of Persona, here’s a look what exactly makes the series so appealing to a fellow Gaijin such as yourself an… (Persona 3, Persona 4, Persona 4 Golden, Persona 4: Arena, PS Vita, PS2, PS3, PSP, Xbox 360)